The ambition of Prof. Eno Ibanga to mount the throne as the political leader of Mkpat Enin has met a groundswell of oppositions of the Peoples Democratic Party, elders and stakeholders in the area.
Ibanga who is the state Commissioner for Works and Fire Service under Udom Emmanuel administration is also serving in the same position under Governor Umo Eno administration.
The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting held at Dr. Ekong Sampson Unity Hall, Mkpat Enin Local Government Secretariat on Saturday, 12 August and attended by the elders, stakeholders, party chieftains, traditional rulers, academics, leading women and youth groups of the local government area.
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The meeting hailed Governor Umo Eno on the successful take-off of the ARISE Agenda, and pledged total support to the Governor. It also praised former Governor Udom Emmanuel for laying a solid socioeconomic foundation for the State.
Furthermore, the meeting congratulated all the elected and reappointed political office holders from the area, expressing confidence that together, they will work to bring meaningful development to Mkpat Enin.
The gathering called for the appointment of Mkpat Enin indigene into the board of NDDC and also made a case for urgent attention to major roads in the local government area in order to boost socio-economic activities of the people.
The meeting declared that having worked so hard for the PDP to win in the last election, it was time for the local government area to benefit from their toil and not to be distracted by unnecessary political bickering.
‘‘With one voice, they rejected the purported announcement of Prof. Eno Ibanga as Political Leader when no vacancy for that position existed in the local government area at the moment.’’
In his remarks, Senator Ekong Sampson, representing Akwa Ibom South in the Senate, thanked Mkpat Enin people for their support to the PDP in the last general elections.
He said that he will use his position in the Senate to empower Mkpat Enin people and others in Eket Senatorial District. The Onomkpoinam Mkpat Enin was given a rousing welcome to the venue of the power-packed meeting.
Senator Sampson stated some of the Standing Committees he has been appointed to serve in the Senate, and assured that he will use the opportunity to help his constituents, Akwa Ibom people, as well as promoting Nigeria’s development.
He made it clear that despite his heights and contributions to Mkpat Enin, he has never laid personal claims to the political leadership in the Local Government Area, saying that he prefers to work as a team player.
Sampson noted that nobody consulted him and other highly placed stakeholders, including top PDP officials in Mkpat Enin before the strange announcement of Prof. Eno Ibanga.
The Senator, who is the Vice Chairman of Senate Committees on Education and FCT, said it was the time for Mkpat Enin to be united and benefit, instead of being distracted by politics of political leadership.
Also speaking, the State PDP Officer, Hon. Mfon Nkanteen reiterated his position that those who announced Prof. Eno Ibanga as Political Leader of Mkpat Enin were only expressing their personal sentiments and not the position of Mkpat Enin PDP.
Nkanteen noted that any meeting without himself as the State Officer or the Chapter Chairman of the PDP in the local government area was not a PDP stakeholders meeting.
On his part, a former member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. (Engr.) Otobong Ndem said that by virtue of his position and his achievements, Senator Ekong Sampson was clearly the natural political leader of Mkpat Enin.
He queried the earlier controversial announcement of Prof. Eno Ibanga as Mkpat Enin Political Leader, describing it as self-seeking.
The Vice Chairman of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, Hon.(Lady) Mercy Bassey and the Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Ebong Akpan called for unity of purpose and broad-based consultations in decision making for the area to avoid disagreements and controversies.
Other speakers at the meeting included the PDP Chapter Chairman, Rt Hon Anietie Sunday; Chairman of Mkpat Enin Elders Forum, Dr Sidney Udofot; Chairman of Ward Leaders Forum, Mkpat Enin and DG of PDP Campaigns, Rev. Obot Ekanem; former CMD of UUTH, Prof Etete Peters; Clan Head of Ibiaku, Etebom Ime Ekong.
The rest were a top academic, Prof. Uduak Okon; Board Member in the State Secondary School Board, Dr. Markfre Ekefre; the PDP Chapter Woman Leader, Youth Leaders, among others resolved to work for the unity and development of Mkpat Enin rather than be drawn into an unauthorised political leadership announcement.
A motion to adopt the resolutions was moved by Prof Etete Peters and was duly seconded by Hon. Ebong Akpan, Leader of the Mkpat Enin Legislative Council.
Recall that Ibanga, whose tenure as the Vice Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, was lurked in different crises with members of Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) and even some students in the social media.
Straightnews gathered that of the four clans in Mkpat Enin: Ikpa Ikono, Ukpum Minya, Ikpa Ibom, and Ibiaku, Ukpum Minya has produced two political leaders.
‘‘The late Dennis S. Udoinyang, a one-time member in the Eastern Nigeria House of Representatives and a Commissioner in the defunct South Eastern State from Ukpum Minya was a political leader. Chief Richard Umoren, the pioneer Chairman of Mkpat Enin still from Ukpum Minya is the Mkpat Enin political leader.
‘‘Prof Ibanga is also from Ukpum Minya Clan. It is surprising why a serving Commissioner from the same clan that has produced other leaders is angling for the position when the serving political leader is still alive. It is unclear why an appointee wants to be a political leader in an area there are high ranking elected politicians.
”Ibanga is backed by the Council’s Chairman, Aniekpon Ekpo on the basis that he might be nominated as Transition Chairman of the area. Rt. Hon. Bernard Udoh, a three-time member in the House of Representatives and Hon. Udobong Ekpo, a noe-time member who represented the area in the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, among others,” a source told Straightnews.
